Lotus in the Rain
by Serene Fairy
Summary: He looks like a delinquent. She looks like an angel. He is from a school full of thugs. She is from a private school in France. His parents are dead. Her mother left her. He refuses to fall in love and become heartbroken. She is desperate for love. He loves to play piano. She loves to play harp. He is like rain. She is a lotus in the rain. Renge/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**For some reason, I feel like doing a Renge/OC story as well. For an image of Tetsuya, you can check out my profile. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 1- Heartbreak**

"Oi, Tetsuya!" Hiroshi-nii calls, interrupting my Pokemon battle. I pause it and give my trademark death glare.

"What?!" I snarl. Hiroshi-nii chuckles.

"This isn't your school grounds, Tetsuya, so no need to be all thug-like," he laughs. "I have a little something for you." He hands me an envelope.

I open up the envelope and read the letter. It's from the superintendent of Ouran Academy? I finish reading the letter, and I cheer in triumph. I've received the scholarship! I'm going to Ouran Academy!

"Yes! Awesome! I'm finally getting out of that death trap of a high school!" I cheer.

Oh, excuse me, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Ashida Tetsuya. I'm sixteen, and I'm currently a 2nd-year high school student, well, going into 2nd-year. I live with my twenty-five year old brother, Ashida Hiroshi, and his twenty-four year old fiance, Fujiwara Natsumi. Right now, I'm attending Kawahara Public High School in Tokyo. Actually, I used to live in Sapporo with my parents, until they were both killed in a car crash when I was thirteen. After their deaths, I was sent to live with my brother in Tokyo. In all honesty, it isn't bad at all. However, I don't have much friends, because I have a mean, intimidating appearance: messy black hair, intimidating onyx eyes, a smile that can be quite scary sometimes, a growly kind of voice and I'm also well-built and slightly muscular. However, I'm actually a very nice person who puts a lot of effort into studies and into what I love. I love playing piano, but I've hidden it from the kids at my school, since I would be humiliated if I were to reveal my love for piano.

Anyways, I've signed up for a music scholarship to the prestigious Ouran Academy, and I got in, which means I'm getting out of Kawahara High, the place with many delinquents, the place that hardened me into a badass punk who fought only for self-defense, never to provoke anyone.

"I'm going to go tell Mayumi about this!" I say. Hiroshi-nii chuckles.

"Of course. Well, I'll see you in a bit!" He says as I walk out the door.

Maeda Mayumi is my girlfriend of one year, a girl whom I had started dating last year. She's very attractive, with a killer figure, but I'm dating her because she understands me. Her long lustrous blonde hair, sparkling hazel eyes, and her smile make my day, since she doesn't judge me for who I am.

I arrive at our usual dating spot, the park, to meet her. However, what I see makes me stop in shock. To my shock, I see Mayumi in a heated liplock with another guy! That's not what is most painful, though. The guy she is kissing is my best friend Arashi!

"Hey!" I call. They both break apart, and stare at me in shock.

"Tetsuya!" Mayumi says, looking panicky. "It's not what you think, I-" I cut her off with a glare.

"How could you?!" I ask her, feeling hurt and betrayed. I'm her boyfriend, and she's going around and flirting with other guys! I turn and glare at Arashi. "And you?! I thought we were bros!" Before I even realize, I suddenly punch Arashi in the face.

"Arashi-kun!" Mayumi cries. She glares at me. "I can't believe you just did that!"

I turn away. "Whatever, Mayumi. We're over," I say, turning to walk away. Suddenly, I feel my wrist being grabbed.

"No! Tetsuya, you're not leaving me!" Mayumi tells me. I look at her.

"How long has this been happening for?" I ask. Arashi smirks.

"Six months, but I'm not the only one, you know?" he tells me in a cocky manner. "She's been sleeping around behind your back for six months!"

I look at her in shock. "Wh-Why?!" I ask. She huffs and crosses her arms.

"You never paid attention to me. You refused to get intimate with me, and I needed the intimacy! Besides, Arashi's hotter and richer than you!" she defends. I glare at her.

"That's a load of bull crap," I say in a low voice. "I did so much for you, and you took me for granted." I let out a dry chuckle. "I should've realized that you were purely using me, since I'm smarter than the entire population at Kawahara. Well, I'm not taking you back, Mayumi. And don't you dare think that crying will make me feel sorry for you!" I yank my wrist from her grip and start to walk away.

"Don't bother coming near me, don't call me, don't text me, don't ever contact me again!" I snarl at both Mayumi and Arashi. "From today on, you two are both dead to me!" With that, I storm off.

I arrive back at the apartment, and I slowly sit down at the dining table. How could she do this to me?! I thought we had something, but it's clear we never really had anything. Mayumi was just using me for her own selfish games.

"Tetsuya, what's wrong?" Natsumi, my brother's fiance, asks.

"Mayumi cheated on me with my best friend!" I say, trying to act all tough and not show any emotions. However, I feel my trust completely shatter, and I feel tears in my eyes. "She was cheating for six months!"

"Oh sweetie," Natsumi gently wraps an arm around my shoulder, like an older sister. "That must be truly heartbreaking for you."

"I trusted her. I trusted _them_!" I snarl in betrayal. "They both broke my trust! Simply because I wasn't rich enough, and because I'm being abstinent until marriage!"

"Oh boy, that's rough," Hiroshi consoles. "She never deserved you anyways."

I take deep breaths, trying to pull myself together, and I wipe the unshed tears away. "I'll forget about her," I tell myself.

"Good. And then, you can find a girl who'll treat you right," Hiroshi tells me. I shake my head.

"No. This is what happens when I let someone in. They never give a care, they simply use me. From now on, I'm not going to date anymore."

From now on, I'm not going to let anyone in. Maybe when I'm older, I will date, but for now, I won't date anymore. I'll just focus on my studies, and on piano and music. From now on, girls are out of the way. I should've listened to Natsumi when she warned me about Mayumi, and also my friends! It won't happen again, however. I won't let it happen again.

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**For some reason, I thought it would be cute if the main character looked tough and delinquent-like, but he really likes piano, and is focused on his studies.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2 of 'Lotus in the Rain'! I felt like creating this story, since there are no Renge/OC stories at all! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 2- Don't They Have Anything Better To Do?!**

I stare up at the school building in both amazement and bewilderment. The school is pink. Out of all colours, _**pink**_. Not to mention, I see so many students coming in sleek limousines or other fancy cars. All the students look neat and good-looking. And here I am, a rough-looking guy, wearing a white button-up shirt with two buttons loose near the collar and black jeans. As I walk to the school, I feel a whole lot of eyes on me. I'm not even surprised. Those kids will definitely stare, especially since I look like a thug.

The staring still continues when I enter the building, and now, I'm even hearing whispers.

"Who is that guy?"

"I don't know, but he looks scary!"

"He's probably the son of a Yakuza boss!"

I stop and look at a group of kids. "Don't you have anything better to do than to stare at me?" I ask in annoyance. I ignore their surprised reactions as I walk towards Class 2-A.

When I enter the classroom, the entire room goes silent. I inwardly sigh. _Even the class goes silent. I'm actually starting to miss my old school. _Even the teacher looks stunned. "Are you the new honour student?" she asks.

"Yes." I reply. She looks surprised for a moment.

"Oh, well excuse me. Class, this is Ashida Tetsuya, the new honour student on music scholarship. He has transferred from Kawahara Public High School," she introduces. I give a slight bow and find an empty desk to sit in.

Throughout the entire class period, I have to endure the stares and silent whispers about me. I pay no attention to the whispers, however. I'm here to learn, not to gossip. As the chime sounds for lunch, I get up, grab my bento box, and look for a quiet place to eat outside. As I walk to a courtyard, I hear the sounds of chirping from my feet. I look down and see a baby bird, struggling to fly up to its mother's nest. I gently pick it up and place it back in the nest, thinking nothing of it.

After lunch, I'm walking through the hallways when I see a group of boys harassing three girls. "Hey Class A girls!" one of them jeers. "Let's play!"

"Yeah! When we're done with you, you'll be begging for more!" another laughs as he pushes one of the girls to the ground. The girls look scared and timid, and I can't stand for it. Before I even realize, I'm yelling at the boys. I can't help it. I hate seeing girls being sexualized and degraded by men.

"Oi! Leave them alone!" I call, looking at them in disgust. They turn and glare at me.

"Stay out of this, you punk!" a boy snaps at me.

"Yeah! What're you gonna do?!" another taunts. However, I give them a death glare.

"Hey. I've dealt with people worse than you, including the sons of Yakuza bosses. Laying your hands on women against their will is wrong and a crime!" I crack my knuckles. "So, leave those girls alone, or my fists will meet your faces!"

"Oooh, I'm so scared…" one of them teases. "What're you gonna do ab- Ohhh!" he yelps as I kick him in the crotch. I give a dark grin at his friends, who immediately back off.

"Will you go now?" I ask in an intimidating tone. They nod fearfully and run off. I sigh in annoyance before turning to the three girls. "Daijoubu?" I ask in a softer tone. They both nod slowly, their eyes wide in shock.

"Ano… what's your name?" one girl, a pretty girl with long strawberry-blond hair and onyx eyes, asks.

"Ashida Tetsuya," I respond.

"Arigato gozaimasu, Ashida-san!" another girl, one with curly shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes, thanks.

"You really helped us today!" the third girl, one with long black hair in a bun and brown eyes, thanks.

"No problem." I say, walking off.

The rest of the day is uneventful, except for the constant whispers from girls, about how I saved the lives of three girls from the D Class pervs. In all honesty, as much as I like Ouran Academy, I kind of miss the random fights that often happened in Kawahara High, and the almost-comedic enmity that happened among a lot of the guys. However, it's also a relief to be away from the constant fights and the gang rivalries and all that drama.

When I arrive back to our apartment, I'm immediately hit with the smell of freshly-cooked crab croquettes. "I'm home!" I call.

"Welcome back!" Hiroshi-nii calls. "Natsumi's made crab croquettes for dinner tonight."

"Ne, Tetsuya, how was your first day at school?" Natsumi asks, brushing a strand of her shoulder-length auburn hair away from her face as I help clear the table.

"It was fine," I reply. "But everyone was staring at me constantly. I saw some other rough looking kids, but I don't know why everyone was looking at me!"

"Well, what kind of impression did you make?" Hiroshi-nii asks.

"I was pleasant to everyone. I saved three girls from being harassed by a group of guys, since I hate seeing girls being disrespected and degraded," I say. "Speaking of girls, all the girls at Ouran Academy are very timid and shy, as well as going crazy over guys."

"How is Ouran different from your previous school?" Natsumi asks.

"Well, the teachers are very polite and friendly, and they actually teach things, for sure. Everyone seems to be focused on their studies, instead of picking fights with one another or stealing each other's girlfriends or boyfriends. However, it's almost… quiet. I kind of miss the almost comedic rivalries and fights that happened at Kawahara High, and the random fights that often broke out in the hallways. It's also a relief to be away from the constant gang rivalries and all that drama, however!" I say.

"Are you going to join any clubs?" Hiroshi-nii asks.

"I don't know, honestly," I say. "I would like to focus on my studies, however. I want to be a professional piano player and songwriter, remember? I kind of want to be a piano teacher as well. Just like Otousan and Okaasan."

My dad, Ashida Satoru, was a piano teacher who taught the Suzuki method of piano in Sapporo. He taught me, since he knew how much I loved piano. He always told me to focus on my goals, but not to lose sight of what is truly important. My mom, Ashida Hoshimi, played the harp. Because both my parents were music teachers, I was exposed to music, and I grew up liking good music, such as classical music, and I listened to the occasional rock songs.

When both my parents were killed, it truly affected me a lot. I was spending the night at a friend's house because both my parents were visiting a family friend. I remember being met by a police officer the morning after. I was confused at first, until he explained that both my parents were killed in a car crash by a drunk driver. Both my parents had died instantly, the officer had said, feeling empathy for me. I was too stunned to react at first, but I eventually broke down in tears. Knowing that both my parents would never get to see me live my life, graduate from high school, from university, never get to see me get married, never meet their grandchildren…

A few days after, I had to move to Tokyo to live with my brother, who had gotten custody of me, and I've been living here since. However, I promised to become a piano teacher and a professional piano player to make my parents proud. Even if they have died, I want to show that they have raised a great son, who will become successful in life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Enjoy Chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 3- Pretty Boy Club**

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" I call as I open the door of an abandoned music room. It's been only a few days since I came here, and I had received a note from someone, telling me to come to this music room. However, no one is in the room.

I enter and see a grand piano near the back. I walk up to it and press some of the keys absentmindedly. I sit down and start playing a piece called _Midnight Dancers_, a song I have written myself. As I play the piano, I allow myself to be swept away by the music. The image of gentle night rain and the silhouette of two lovers dancing in the rain appears in my mind, and I continue to play. Yeah, I may look rough and delinquent-like, but I enjoy playing piano, and I even have a few romantic notions in my mind. I believe in acting like a gentleman towards all girls, and being honest and truthful. Call me a sissy, but I honestly feel that a real man treats everyone with respect and courtesy.

Just as I finish the song, I hear the sound of applause. I look up in surprise and see two boys in the room: a blonde-haired boy with violet eyes and a black-haired boy with dark gray eyes and thin glasses. I recognize those two boys as two of my classmates.

"Oh, that was so beautiful, Ashida-san!" the blond boy praises, wiping a few tears from his eyes. "For someone who looks so rough, you are very gentle when it comes to music!"

"Who are you?" I ask, confused.

"Suoh Tamaki. And this is Ootori Kyoya," the blond boy introduces. "We were the ones who gave you that note."

I raise an eyebrow. "Ehh?! Why'd you do that?!" I ask.

"Well, we want you to join our Host Club, and be a Host!" Tamaki declares. "You have everything it takes to be a host! You may look rough, but you are very good with ladies!"

I shake my head. "No way! I'm not joining any club that involves flirting or anything like that!" I protest.

"If you do join, Tetsuya-san, we will pay off your tuition," Kyoya promises.

So, here I am, wearing the Ouran boys' uniform, standing in this music room with some other guys, waiting for girls to show up. After a while, the girls all show up, and everyone is seated with their 'host'. Tamaki has three girls, Kyoya has two girls, the 1st-year twins, Hitachiin Hikaru and Kaoru, have two girls, two 3rd-year guys, Haninozuka Mitsukuni and Morinozuka Takashi, have three girls, and the 1st-year honour student Fujioka Haruhi has three girls.

"Tetsuya, you have three requests," Kyoya tells me. The three girls whom I had saved a few days ago approach me.

"Hi, Tetsuya-kun," the girl with strawberry-blonde hair greets. "I'm Mizushima Yumi from Class 2-A. These are my friends Tanaka Ritsuko…" she says, gesturing to the girl with curly brown hair. "... and Yukimura Mitsuki, also of Class 2-A." She gestures to the girl with black hair in a bun.

I give a polite smile. "Nice to meet you," I greet.

"Ne, I heard that you play piano," Ritsuko says. "Is that true?"

I nod. "Yeah. I've been playing piano since I was a kid. Both my parents were music teachers," I say.

"So, what was your previous high school like?" Mitsuki asks.

I chuckle. "It was a death trap. There were fights, rivalries, and so much violence. It's basically a delinquent high school. Heck, some of the students were the kids of Yakuza bosses, or had connections to the Yakuza!"

The girls look shocked. "Tetsuya-kun, can you tell us about your family?" they ask at the same time.

I'm caught off guard for a moment, but I look down. "I used to live in Sapporo with my mom and dad, until I was thirteen. When I was thirteen, both my parents were killed in a car crash by a drunk driver. I had to move to Tokyo to live with my older brother, so I now live with my older brother and his fiance," I explain.

To my surprise, I see Yumi wiping her eyes. "That's so sad! We're so sorry!" she apologizes. I pull out a photo of our family. In the picture was my mom, my dad, my brother who was fourteen at the time, and me when I was five years old.

"This is our family at Tokyo Disneyland," I say. "I always carry it around with me, so I have some motivation."

"You're so kind!" Yumi praises.

"Any girl would be lucky to have you!" Ritsuko says.

I tense slightly. "Th-Thanks, Ritsuko," I thank. To my surprise, the girls look at me with lovestruck eyes.

"Ano… can we request you again?" Mitsuki asks dreamily.

I look in surprise. "S-Sure, if you wish."

At the end of the club, Kyoya comes up to me. "You are very good at this, Tetsuya. Keep it up." He pats my shoulder and walks away. "From today on, you'll be known as the Good-Hearted Thug Type."

_Um… thanks…? _I think, bewildered.

That evening, as I'm walking home, I suddenly see Mayumi at the apartment complex, to my surprise. I raise an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

She smirks at me. "Why, I'm here to take back what's mine," she says. I frown.

"Did you not even hear me a few days ago? We are over. I'm not gonna take back a cheating, lying little brat like you, okay? I'm over you, so leave me alone." I start to walk, but she blocks my way.

"Tetsuya, it was just a mistake, okay? You know you want me back," she purrs, trying to kiss me, but I push her away.

"Leave. Now." I deadpan, glaring at her. She glares and turns to walk away.

"Fine. You'll never find someone like me, though," she retorts.

"Yeah, I'm hoping I'll never find a selfish, cheating, bratty, spoiled little B-word like you!" I snap. Won't she get the hint already?! I want her to leave me alone!


	4. Chapter 4

**For an image of what Tetsuya looks like, just go to my profile. Enjoy Chapter 4!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 4- Date Offers**

I'm sitting under a tree in the courtyard at lunch, reading some manga when a girl with long orange-bleached hair comes up to me, blushing and hesitant. "A-Ano… Ashida-senpai?" she asks timidly. I look up.

"Yeah? Who are you?" I ask.

"I'm Oneda Izumi of Class 1-B," she introduces, looking down shyly. "Ano… will you go out with me this weekend?" she asks.

I stare at her in surprise. "B-But, we barely know each other," I say.

"Still, I want to get to know you more," she insists. "Will you go out with me?"

I shake my head. "I'm sorry, but I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I'm just trying to figure some things out right now," I say politely.

She looks down, slightly upset. "I understand, Ashida-senpai. Excuse me." She walks away.

I sigh. Why are all these girls asking me out on dates already? They're all rich and from prominent families, so they should be asking out guys who are rich. However, what I say is true. I honestly don't want a relationship right now. Not after going through a break up with a cheating girlfriend. However, I'm being as nice as I can when turning away these girls.

Just before our afternoon class starts, another girl approaches me. "Ano… Tetsuya-kun… will you go on a date with me?" she asks.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in a relationship right now," I respond in a kind manner. "You deserve someone who can give you so much more."

"Okay." She says and walks away, looking a bit sad.

At the club, I see the twins looking at me in a questioning manner. I've managed to find a way to figure out which twin is which. Hikaru has a deeper voice, and Kaoru has a slightly higher voice. "Oi, Tetsuya-senpai!" Hikaru calls. "We've seen you turning down girls all day! How come?"

"I'm not interested in a relationship right now," I say.

"That's not much of an answer," Kaoru interjects. I scowl.

"Hey, I'm turning them down in a polite manner! I'm honestly not interested in a relationship right now!" I say.

"How come?" Tamaki asks. I look down.

"Okay… I actually had a girlfriend before. Her name was Maeda Mayumi, and we dated back when I was in Kawahara Public High School. She seemed perfect: she was gorgeous, and she seemed to understand me. I thought everything was perfect, until I had gotten the scholarship. I was excited, and I wanted to tell her the news about it, but when I went to see her, I saw her kissing my so-called best friend. Naturally, I was very angry and hurt, but she had no remorse. She had simply tried to kiss me as if it was nothing, and she refused to let me break up with her. However, this had been happening for six months, and I broke it off." I explain. "Now, I've been very wary of relationships."

"You shouldn't let her manipulate you like that," the twins say. I shake my head.

"Well, I have recently found out from some friends that she has actually been sleeping around with other guys behind my back for six months," I say, feeling anger at her. "She said she loved me, but she needs another guy in her bed?! Mayumi is just an easy little brat who can't keep her legs closed!"

"Oh wow," Tamaki says in surprise. "That girl sounds like an awful person!"

"She is. She's selfish, possessive, bratty, and the definition of an easy woman," I reply. "She cheated because I refused to sleep with her, when I'm actually waiting for marriage, and because I'm not rich enough."

"Well, hopefully she realizes what she lost," Kyoya comments. "She lost a good boyfriend who treated her with respect because of her questionable ways."

However, there is another reason why I don't want to date. It's just… all the girls in Ouran Academy are too timid. There is no doubting that they are very lovely, but I want a girl who is strong-willed, independent, and smart. I want a girl who respects herself and others, someone who doesn't need to rely on a guy all the time. My three customers, Yumi, Ritsuko, and Mitsuki are all very nice, kind girls, but I they just don't catch my interest that much.

For now, however, I'm only interested in school and getting a job. Girls will have to wait for a while.


	5. Chapter 5

**Renge now shows up! Enjoy Chapter 5!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 5- The Crazy Otaku**

Today at the Host Club, we are doing a traditional Japanese cosplay, and we are all wearing kimonos. My kimono is dark green with dragons and it's designed to show off a bit of my chest. Yumi, Ritsuko, and Mitsuki clearly like the kimono.

"Tetsuya-kun! Your kimono looks amazing on you!"

"Th-Thanks…" I'm cut off by Tamaki making a big deal about something. I see Tamaki giving a bunch of sweets to Haruhi. "Huh? What's going on?" I ask the girlish boy.

"Oh, he's making a big deal, just because I said that I was going to give this sweet as a grave offering for my mother," he says. I roll my eyes. He's very dramatic, even more dramatic than the guys at Kawahara High. Then again, those guys only knew two things: fighting and more fighting.

Our attention is quickly drawn to the door. A girl is standing outside, just peering into the Host Club. The girl is wearing the yellow dress that is the Ouran girls' uniform, and has long caramel-coloured hair with a pink bow, and brown eyes. The twins immediately go up to the new girl. "Hey, come on in," Hikaru says suavely.

"It's no use to just watch. Come on in, princess," Kaoru purrs.

"A-Ano…" she stammers, but Tamaki comes up.

"Oi, you're not supposed to be like that to the girl. You have to be courteous," Tamaki scolds. He then gently takes the girl's chin.

"Come on in, my princess," Tamaki says, using his princely charms.

"N-" she starts to say. Right then, much to our shock, she starts to scream and yell at Tamaki, calling him many mean names, like narcissist, phony prince, and basically just tearing him apart. We all stare in surprise at this girl. Who the hell does she think she is?!

Much to our shock, she suddenly throws her arms around Kyoya in a hug, calling him her prince and her… fiance?!

Once the club is closed for the day, and once I manage to pry her off of Kyoya, she sits down and introduces herself. "My name is Houshakuji Renge, and I've just transferred into Class 1-A," she says. "I've just moved from France."

"She's the daughter of one of my father's business partners," Kyoya explains. "Be nice to her."

Suddenly, the girl starts to go on a long talk about how it was love at first sight for her and Kyoya, how Kyoya spends his time admiring flowers and taking care of poor, sick animals. I raise an eyebrow. That does not sound like Kyoya at all! He's far from compassionate and nature-loving!

"You're my real life Ichijo Miyabi-kun!" she squeals happily.

Right then, it hits me. I've heard of the character Ichijo Miyabi. He's from the video game _Uki Doki Memorial_, a dating simulator game! She's an otaku!

"Uki… ?" Honey-senpai begins.

"Doki… ?" Haruhi asks.

"Otaku!" Tamaki cries out.

"OTAKU!" Hikaru yells.

"Huh?! She's an otaku?!" I ask in surprise.

"I've never seen one!" Kaoru says.

No wonder it wasn't making sense! She's under the delusion that Kyoya is very much like his video game doppelganger! However, she suddenly declares herself the new Host Club manager! I sigh. Looks like things are gonna get interesting.

The next few days are extremely hectic with this annoying chick. She makes Tamaki cry on a daily basis by calling him mean names, sucks up to her 'sweet Kyoya-sama' (which made me nearly throw up my lunch when I first heard it), and is almost like Medusa when she gets angry! Heck, when I was being polite to her one day by helping her with picking up her bag, she scolded me for being too much of a pushover! Now today, she wants us all to have a dark side!

"It's all too tepid!" she shouts when Tamaki is scolding the twins. We all turn to her.

"Except for Kyoya-sama, all your characters are lackluster! All of you hosts are lacking a 'dark' side! Girls are vulnerable to handsome young men going through trauma!" she declares. I roll my eyes. _You crazy chick. I already have a dark side: I lost my parents, broke up with a cheating girlfriend, and I look like a thug! What more does she want?! _

"If you keep carrying on in this ridiculous manner, it's only a matter of time before everyone grows tired of it! Are you trying to ruin Kyoya-sama's precious business?!" she demands. _This girl is nuts. _I think.

"As manager, starting today, I'm changing all your character backgrounds!" she declares.

First, she makes Honey-senpai a 'cute-face, who's actually a thug'. Then, she makes Mori-senpai a 'childhood friend-flunkie'. The twins become 'basketball players who are shut up in their own world'. Haruhi becomes an 'honour student who is faced with intense bullying'. She makes me a 'delinquent with a heart of gold, but has been taken advantage of by everyone too much, so he has become a cold mean person'. As for Tamaki, she makes him the school idol, esteemed for his looks, but has an inferiority complex, essentially 'the lonely prince'. As for Kyoya, he's perfect.

While we all question our characters, Tamaki thinks his is perfect. However, when she brings in a Hollywood film crew, I'm seriously starting to question her sanity. First off, what the hell is wrong with her?! She's taking things way too far now!

For the most part, we cooperate with her during the filming, but Honey-senpai is the first to break down, saying that he couldn't do this anymore. Renge goes all Medusa on him, yelling at him for going off script. As we pause filming, I turn to Kyoya. "Why are you putting up with this crazy chick?" I ask. "I mean, you two aren't actually engaged!"

"Yeah, but she's the daughter of my father's business partner, remember? I'm supposed to be courteous and gracious towards her," he says. "Although, I am starting to think that she's going a bit too far with this."

Suddenly, we hear a loud crash from the other side of the building. We arrive at the scene, just in time to see Tamaki aggressively pin a guy up against the wall. "Which one of you hurt Haruhi?!" he demands.

"W-Wait, Suoh! The girl started it!" the guy's friend insists. After Haruhi agrees with the guys, Tamaki walks up to Haruhi, who has tears in his eyes. He's extremely concerned, until Haruhi mumbles something about contacts, and Tamaki starts to laugh.

"Cameraman, did you catch that?" Renge asks.

"Yes boss!"

"Except for the contact falling out, that was the perfect scene!" Renge says happily. "Now, all I need is for Kyoya-sama to provide a moving narration!"

The sound of glass breaking immediately catches our attention. To our surprise, we see Kyoya holding a rock to the camera lense, much to the dismay of the cameraman.

"Kyoya-sama?" Renge asks, shocked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow any footage of a club member engaging in violence," he scolds. I see a harsh, displeased look on his face. "I'm very displeased with you, Renge. Please stop being a pest." He says sharply.

Renge looks shocked. "Wh-Why?" she whispers, a few tears streaming down her face. "Kyoya-sama! You're supposed to tell me that everything will be okay, and then pat me on the head!" she protests tearfully. "Why would someone as caring and sweet as you…"

"That's not who Kyoya is," Tamaki says.

The look on her face is enough to sadden me. On her face is a mix of emotions. Sadness, shock, hurt, and betrayal. It's a look that's similar to what I looked like when I was told that my parents were killed. Suddenly, she collapses and starts to sob, and I feel bad for her. Reality just sank in for this poor, delusional otaku girl the hard way. It practically slapped her in the face. She has realized that the real life counterpart to her favourite video game character was not who he seemed to be. She looks so vulnerable and sad, that I just want to hold her and reassure that everything will be okay.

"I think that getting to know a person, little by little, can be just as fun too," Haruhi tells the 1st-year girl.

At the end of the day, I walk back home to Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi. "So, how was your day?" Hiroshi-nii asks.

"Crazy." Is all I say before collapsing on the couch, sleep taking over me instantly. However, for some reason, the image of a crazy otaku with a pink ribbon in her caramel-coloured hair doesn't leave my mind. In fact, this is the first time I'm actually thinking about her, not even when she first transferred here!

I turn over and sigh. Perhaps I'll forget about her tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry if I made Renge a bit OOC, but I intend to show her vulnerable-ish side, and I also plan on showing a few other sides to her. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

**Edit: I've realized that traditional Japanese wedding ceremonies are pretty expensive, so I've decided to make them do a Western-style wedding instead.**

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**Chapter 6- The French Otaku**

As I walk through the hallways during lunch, I suddenly hear some screams and cruel laughter coming from the courtyard. I follow the sounds, and to my shock, I see a group of 3rd-year girls dumping water from the fountain onto Renge's head.

"Stop this! Please!" Renge pleads.

"You're just a crazy otaku! No wonder none of the guys like you!" the ringleader taunts.

"Go back to France, you freak! No one likes you!" her friend hisses as they fill the bucket of water and pour it onto Renge.

As they taunt and mock Renge, I can't help but feel almost sick to my stomach. I have never been able to understand girls, the way they think, the way they act, all that. However, girl bullying is something I will never comprehend. I can never understand how girls can be so vicious and cruel in their words, and still live with themselves. I snap and walk out into the courtyard.

"Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I call, glaring at the girls. They suddenly stop and look at me in surprise.

"T-Tetsuya-kun, I…" the ringleader starts.

"Shut up." I say lowly. "How can you do such a thing to her?! Don't you have any shame?! Yeesh, for girls who are from prominent families, you act like real bitches! Leave her alone!" I shout. The girls become startled and leave.

Once they are gone, I walk up to Renge, who is soaking wet. "Oi, you okay?" I ask gently. She looks at me in surprise.

"T-Tetsuya…" she whispers. I help her up silently.

"Let's go to the club room," I say, trying to calm down my previous anger. "There's probably some spare clothes that you could wear."

Once we get to the empty music room, she goes into the backroom to change. Soon, Renge comes out, wearing a fresh uniform. However, her hair is still wet and messy. "Tetsuya…" she says softly, walking up to me. "A-Arigato gozaimasu." She thanks.

"Don't mention it," I say quietly. I feel her confused eyes looking at me.

"Doushita no, Tetsuya?" she asks. I sigh.

"It's just those girls. Their behaviour really bothered me," I reply. I turn to her. "What happened, Renge? Why were those girls bullying you?"

She looks down. "I honestly don't know," she replies.

"Whatever. If those girls ever try and do something like that again, tell someone," I say. "Well, I'll see you around."

When I get back to the classroom, I see Kyoya and Tamaki looking at me. I raise an eyebrow. "What's up?" I ask.

"We saw what you did earlier," Tamaki says. "That was very noble of you."

I sigh. "Thanks. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever understand girls. I never have, and I never will," I say. "Why would they do something like that?"

"The ringleader, Shiroyama Rika, is the daughter of a former business partner of my father," Kyoya replies.

"Also, she was a former guest at the Host Club," Tamaki says. "However, we kicked her out when we found out that she was bullying some of the other guests. Since then, she's been very bitter."

I look at them in shock. "So, she was being a bitch just because she was kicked out of the Host Club for being a bitch?" I ask.

Kyoya nods, adjusting his glasses. "Well, that's one, uh, obscene way of putting it."

After school, everything is normal at the Host Club, and I'm just doing my homework, since I have no requests for today. Right then, Renge approaches me. "Ano… Tetsuya." I look up.

She bows down. "Thank you, once again," she thanks, sitting in the chair opposite of me. "Can I sit with you for a bit?"

"Uh, sure." I reply.

She looks at me with her eager brown eyes. "So, Tetsuya, which high school did you transfer from? I heard that you're the new 2nd-year honour student," she asks.

"I transferred from Kawahara Public High School." I respond. I note that her Japanese has a slight French accent to it. "What about you? Which part of France are you from?" I ask.

"I'm from Paris, and I transferred from Jeanne D'Arc Private High School," she says.

"Ah." Another thought comes to me. "Wait, how did you transfer here so fast?"

She looks down in embarrassment. "Well, it started after my father came back from a business trip in Japan, and he showed me a photo of Kyoya and his family. I got over excited, so I simply just packed a few clothes and other things, and caught the first flight to Japan," she explains. "I still need to buy a few more clothes, since I only packed a few in France."

I feel a bead of sweat running down my forehead. _This girl is kind of weird. _"So, did your dad come with you or something?"

"No, actually. I'm staying alone in our mansion in Japan." She shows me a photo of the mansion, and I stare at it in shock. The mansion is a four-storey, French-style building made of pristine white marble and it has a black tiled roof. The windows were very large, with black shutters and there were pink rose bushes at the front of the mansion. Not to mention, there is a circular driveway, with a Mediterranean fountain in the center.

"Wow." Is all I can say.

"Oh, this is nothing, compared to my mansion in Paris. It's even bigger, and it has an amazing view of the city, and of the Eiffel Tower!" she says.

_Rich people… _I think. I hope this girl isn't one of those rich girls who are so spoiled. Surprisingly, Renge is actually a very pleasant person to talk to. Sure, she was rather obnoxious and weird when she first came here, but she's become more civilized and less delusional.

That evening, I sit with Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi and we discuss their wedding plans. "So, Tetsuya, we were thinking of having a summer wedding," Hiroshi-nii tells me. "We're going to have our ceremony in the nearby chapel, and our reception in the park."

"So, who do you want to invite?" I ask.

"Well, my close family members, and your close family members," Natsumi says. "We're also going to invite some close friends as well. You can invite a few friends if you want."

I nod as I get up from the table to put my plate away. I'm going to get my homework done before the weekend, and then I'll practice piano before my lesson on Sunday.


	7. Chapter 7

**So sorry for not updating in a while! I had gone to camp over the weekend, but I'm back now! Enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 7- Something in Common**

"Tetsuya?" I look up and see Renge in Class 2-A. "May I eat lunch with you?" She asks. I nod.

"Sure thing," I reply. She sits down in the desk next to me.

For a while, there is a comfortable silence between us. Then, she decides to break the silence. "Ne, Tetsuya?" she asks. I turn to her.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any hobbies?" she asks.

"Yeah, actually. I like to play the piano, and occasionally write my own songs," I reply. "You?"

She nods. "I play the harp," she says, smiling slightly. "I always love the sound that it makes."

"My mom was a harp teacher," I say. "I also love the sound of the harp. It's very melodious." She looks at me.

"You referred to your mother in the past tense," she observes. I look down sadly.

"Yeah, I did," I agree. "Both my parents were music teachers. I used to live with them in Sapporo. However, they were both killed in a car crash three years ago, so I had to move to Tokyo to live with my older brother."

She looks at me with empathetic eyes. "I'm so sorry, Tetsuya," she apologizes. "I had no idea that something so sad like that happened."

"It's okay," I reply. "My older brother Hiroshi is a great guy. He cares for me like any older brother should, and he is like a best friend as well. His fiance, Fujiwara Natsumi, is just as sweet as well. She's like a sister, and she's very kind."

Renge smiles at me. "That's so sweet," she says. Her smile slowly fades. "My mother left me."

I look at her. "What do you mean?" I ask.

She looks down sadly. "My mother was having an affair with another man when I was six years old. I was too young to understand what happened, but I remember seeing my father so sad and hurt. When I asked what was wrong, he would always just smile and tell me there was nothing wrong. Then, when I was ten, she just… disappeared. It turns out she had run away with her lover," she explains, tears in her eyes. "Why? Why did she do this to me?! How could she be so selfish and cruel to my father?!"

I gently touch her shoulder. "Renge… it's not your fault. Your mother must not have truly loved your father if she was so selfish," I say.

"But…" she whispers. "I can't help but miss her as well. As much as I hate her for leaving us, I also miss her."

I realize something. We truly have something in common. I lost my parents, and she lost her mother. Well, her mother left her, but even then, she feels conflicted about hating her or missing her. We also love to play musical instruments. Oddly enough, I feel like she truly understands me in a way that even Mayumi never did. I brush off the feeling, and try and ignore it for the rest of the day.

Today, at the Host Club, we are doing a _Lord of the Rings _cosplay. Tamaki is dressed as Frodo Baggins, Kyoya is dressed as Legolas, Hikaru is dressed as Sam Gamgee, Kaoru is dressed as Merry, Honey-senpai is dressed as Gimli the Dwarf, Haruhi is dressed as Pippin, and Mori-senpai is dressed as Aragorn. I am dressed as Boromir, much to my pleasure. I love the _Lord of the Rings _trilogy, and even though my most favourite character is Frodo, I also admire Boromir. Renge is dressed as Arwen, and we have the entire room in a _Lord of the Rings _theme. We even use Elvish to try and charm our customers.

"Tetsuya-kun, you look so handsome!" Yumi gushes.

"One does not simply look handsome," I say, trying to imitate Boromir. The girls all giggle at that.

"Can you speak some Elvish?" Ritsuko asks. I smirk.

"_El sila erin lu e-govaned vin_," I say. "That means 'a star shines on the hour of our meeting'."

The girls look at me with lovestruck eyes. "Kyaaaaa!" they squeal. "That's so romantic!"

Suddenly, to my shock, I see Mitsuki being slapped across the face. "Get away from my boyfriend!"

I freeze upon hearing that voice. _Oh crap, don't tell me… _I look up, and to my dismay, I see Mayumi, standing in front of my table with a triumphant smirk.

"Mayumi!" I exclaim in both shock and anger. "What the hell?! Why'd you do that?!"

"She was flirting with you!" she hisses at me. By now, the entire Host Club has gone silent as they witness the fight that is slowly unfolding.

I glare at her. "Flirting, my ass! These girls are nothing but nice! Not like you! And you shouldn't be talking, especially when you've been sleeping around behind my back!" I snarl. "Besides, we've broken up!"

"No, I want to make this work! I want you back, Tetsuya!" she insists. I laugh sardonically.

"How ironic. And you said that I wasn't rich enough. Funny how people contradict themselves when desperate," I say. "Go away, Mayumi."

She looks at me with fake pleading eyes. "Come on, Tetsuya, please? You're the only one who's ever treated me well," she tries to plead. I roll my eyes.

"Realizing that now? Well guess what, you lost it. You lost your chance the moment I caught you. You should've realized that relationships aren't always physical. You disgust me Mayumi." I say in a scary quiet voice. "Now get out."

She glares at me. "You do realize that I could've seduced every guy in here. However, I came to you. Whatever. You'll be back someday," she says, flipping her hair behind her before walking out.

I sigh in frustration. "I apologize for that, ladies," I apologize. I gently start to console Mitsuki, who is holding onto her cheek. I see a bruise, and right then, I feel pure rage at Mayumi. "I am so sorry for this, Mitsuki."

"Who was that?" Honey-senpai asks. I look down.

"That was Maeda Mayumi, my ex-girlfriend," I say. Tamaki looks shocked.

"_She _was your ex-girlfriend?!" he asks in shock. "She's so rude!"

"To come up and slap another customer, that's very uncouth!" Kaoru adds. I nod.

At the end of the club, Renge comes up to me. "Ne, Tetsuya?" she asks. I look at her.

"Can I walk with you down to the parking lot?" she asks. I nod.

"Sure."

We walk down the hallways in a comfortable silence. Renge is the first one to break the silence.

"About that girl Mayumi… what was your relationship like?" she asks. I sigh.

"When we first started dating, I honestly thought we had something. She seemed nice, and she seemed to understand me. She wanted to get physical, however, and I told her that I'm not like that, that I'm not interested in a physical relationship. Everything seemed great at first. When I got the scholarship to Ouran Academy, I wanted to find her and tell her, but when I saw her, she was kissing my so-called best friend. It turns out, she had been sleeping around with other guys behind my back for six months. She told me it was because I wasn't rich, and because I was a sissy. I broke up with her, and ended my friendship with my friend." I finish explaining.

Renge looks at me in surprise. "That's not very nice of her," she tells me. "She really doesn't know what she could've had. I mean, it's kind of hard to find a guy who would treat her with respect and courtesy, and you're that guy."

I shrug. "In all honesty, I'm glad I left her. She was whiny and clingy, as well as easy. Whenever I hung out with my friends, she would flirt with all of them, and they'd often give me looks of pity, along with other girls." I turn to her. "Let's change the topic now. How are you liking Japan?" I ask.

She nods. "I really like it here. My dad will be moving here in a while, so I don't get too lonely," she says.

We arrive at the school parking lot. "Well here we are," I say. "I'll be going now. See you tomorrow, Renge."

She nods. "See you."


	8. Chapter 8

**So sorry for the late update! I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, but it's now complete! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 8- What I Do on the Weekend**

Today is Saturday, which means I have a fairly busy day today. I have to practice piano, and do some grocery shopping. I get out of bed and change into a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans. After taking my wallet, I go into the kitchen to have some breakfast. "Morning," I greet Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi.

"Good morning, Tetsuya," Hiroshi-nii greets. "You going to go out?"

"Yeah," I say. "You have a list, right?"

Natsumi hands me a list of groceries. "Here are the things I need for today from the grocery store," she tells me. "See you in a bit."

I walk out of the apartment and start walking towards the grocery store. As I'm walking by an alleyway, a rough-looking guy with a blue mohawk, and two equally rough-looking consorts block my path. I recognize them as old schoolmates of mine from Kawahara High. Blue Mohawk sneers at me.

"So, you're the scholarship student who ditched Kawahara for a school of rich snobs. Ashida Tetsuya," he says, sneering. I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly.

"And if I am?" I ask. He cracks his knuckles, smirking at me.

"Well then, be prepared for the biggest beatdown of your life!" he snarled, lunging at me.

Thinking nothing of it, I simply punch him in the face, sending him flying backwards. His two consorts look at me in shock. I glare at them. "Well, do you wanna go, or what?!" I snarl. The two boys hastily run away in fear. I sigh.

"T-Tetsuya-senpai?" I turn and see Haruhi, gaping. To my shock, he is dressed in girl's clothing. I widen my eyes in shock. Haruhi's actually a girl! Wow, I'm a real idiot!

"Haruhi… you're a girl?" I ask in surprise. He-no, she- looks down.

"Yes, I'm a girl. However, I dress up as a boy so I can pay a debt to the Host Club. All the other guys in the Host Club know, but no one else outside of the club knows," she explains. I nod. _Well, she's only doing this to pay off a debt. _

"Can you keep this a secret?" Haruhi asks.

"Sure thing," I say. "Well, I have to go get some groceries right now, so see ya!" I say as I continue walking.

As I look through the fruits section for some fresh strawberries, I suddenly hear a familiar voice. "Wow, chocolate for only 479 yen?! That's a real price drop!" I go into the sweets aisle, and to my surprise, I see… Renge?!

"Eh?! Renge?!" I exclaim in surprise. "What are you doing here?!" She turns and sees me.

"Oh hi Tetsuya!" she greets, waving. "I wanted to see what a commoner supermarket is like!" she says. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm doing some grocery shopping," I say. "My brother's fiance sent me out to get some groceries. I'm almost done, I just have to get some strawberries, pay for them, and then I'm going home."

"Can I help?" Renge asks.

"Uh, sure," I say.

As we walk through the grocery store, I can't help but notice how she is dressed. She is dressed in cute, yet classy clothes, that subtly show her rich status. A nice-looking pink dress, a small black cardigan, black chunky heels, and she's carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag. "You're kind of dressed up too fancy," I say. "It's just a grocery store."

"Oh, I wear things like this during the weekend," she tells me. I stare at her in shock.

"Seriously?!" I ask. Suddenly, she picks up a pack of fruity candy and holds it out to me.

"Tetsuya, can you buy this?" she asks. "I really want to try some commoner candy."

I raise an eyebrow. "Why are you so interested in commoner goods?" I ask. Suddenly, she gives me the puppy dog eyes.

"Please?" she asks. I sigh.

"Fine, I'll buy these," I say, giving in. _At least it's not shoes or anything like that. _She smiles brightly at me.

After I finish paying for the groceries, I take the bag of candy out of the bag and hand it to Renge. "Here's your candy." She takes it from me and puts it in her handbag.

"So, Tetsuya, where do you usually go clothes shopping?" she asks me.

"Oh, I go to a nearby department store and buy some clothes that I think are good," I say. "However, I mainly buy clothes when I think I need to." I look at her. "I have a pretty good idea as to where you go shopping. You go to some high end mall, right?"

She nods, blushing in embarrassment. "Yeah," she replies. "The mall I go to has a large amount of high end shops and a nice food court, as well as a movie theater and even a spa."

I suddenly check my watch. "Hey, it's almost lunch time," I say. "Want to get something to eat?"

"Sure thing," Renge says.

Soon, we're at a local cafe to eat. "Would you like something?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"No thanks," she replies. I shrug and buy myself a few potato croquettes and some fries. As I eat, I suddenly notice Renge take one of the fries.

"I thought you said you weren't hungry," I say. She sighs.

"Can I try one?" she asks. I shrug.

"Go ahead."

She takes a bite… and promptly takes more. I can't help but laugh. "Ha! Even a girl who absolutely can't stand fried food can't resist homemade potato fries!" I laugh.

"They're so good!" Renge defends. "I can't help myself."

"Oi, I wasn't judging you," I say. I decide to tease her a bit. I pick up one of the croquettes and hold it to her. "Now that you've tried fries, why not some croquettes?"

She takes it and takes a small bite. Right then, her eyes widen in surprise. "Mm! This is really good!" she says. Suddenly, a guilty look crosses her face. "I'm gonna have to do a lot of exercise to try and burn off this fried food!"

I laugh. Man, she's actually kind of cute when she's like this! "It's worth indulging every now and then! That's what my brother tells me. If you have a healthy lifestyle, then you can have sweets or fried food as a treat, or something."

"Okay then," she says. "I have a pretty healthy lifestyle, so I'm fine!"

After lunch, we continue to look around some shops when we suddenly run into a group of delinquents. "My, my, what a pretty girl you have, hm?" the leader says, leering at Renge.

I tense up. I hate it when guys act like they can do whatever they want with girls! It's disrespectful and unmanly! I watch in disgust as the leader caresses Renge's face, causing her to shudder in disgust. "Come on, pretty girl. Why don't you ditch this loser and come with us?" he asks.

"Yeah!" one of the delinquents says, rubbing his hands together. "When we're done, you'll be begging for more!"

I suddenly get into a fighting stance, glaring at the guys. "Get your hands off her." I threaten. The guys laugh at me.

"Oh yeah? And what's a weakling like you gonna do, huh?" the leader taunts. I smirk darkly before giving him a nice hard kick in the crotch.

"GYAAAAA!" he screams shrilly.

"Now leave." I threaten, cracking my knuckles. The other guys suddenly turn and run away. I sigh in annoyance. "Sheesh, I already punched one idiot, and now I have to kick another idiot in the crotch?"

Renge stares at me in shock. "Th-Thanks, Tetsuya," she stammers. "I didn't know you could be so strong in fighting!"

I look down, slightly embarrassed. "You see, when I was in Kawahara High School, I had to really become stronger and very aggressive in fighting, because that school has a notorious reputation for having the most fierce delinquents in Tokyo. When I had first moved from Sapporo, this was the only senior high school that had a cheaper admission rate. So, whenever delinquents would try and pick a fight, I had no other choice. I only fought for survival, I never picked fights with anyone," I explain.

"I see," she says. "You had to fight to defend yourself, so that's why you're so tough."

I nod. Right then, I look at the time. "Well, I should be going before Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi start wondering where I am."

"Yeah, I should call my driver and have him pick me up," Renge says, taking her phone out.

"Well, see you on Monday," I say as I turn to walk back to my apartment.

As I walk back, I can't help but feel a slight happiness from today. Renge's not a bad person to talk to. In fact, I can tell her almost anything. Whenever I hung out with Mayumi, she kept on acting spoiled and bratty, but with Renge, she's happy with almost anything. Now that I realize it, I was never truly happy with Mayumi. I could never talk to her, because she always wanted to talk about herself, but when I'm with Renge, I can talk about almost anything with her. In all honesty, I look forward to having more conversations with her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's Chapter 9 of _Lotus in the Rain_. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

* * *

**Chapter 9- So Much in Common!**

A knock on the door interrupts me from setting up my Xbox. I sigh. Today, with Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi out of the house for the day, I have planned to play _Call of Duty _all day today, after my daily workout. I open the door, and to my surprise, I see Renge.

"Renge? What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I was curious to see where you lived, so Kyoya gave me your address," she says. I gesture for her to come in.

"Come on in," I say. She walks in and removes her shoes.

"Wow, so this is what a commoner apartment looks like," she says in amazement. I inwardly sigh. _This isn't a zoo! _

"It's pretty cute!" she compliments. Right then, I see her stop in front of the picture of my parents. "I'm just paying my respects to your parents."

I smile at her. "Thanks for doing so," I say, walking up to her. She smiles at the picture.

"Your parents look very nice," she tells me. "Your mom looks very pretty. When was this taken?"

"This was a few years ago at Tokyo Disneyland," I say. "I have a similar photo like it, and I carry it around for motivation."

I suddenly feel tears in my eyes as I remember the day when I was told that my parents were killed.

_It was three years ago when I was in Sapporo, and I was hanging out at my friend's place. We had spent a lot of last night playing video games, as well as most of this morning._

"_Tetsuya!" I suddenly hear my friend's mom call me. "You need to come downstairs." Her voice is laced with concern._

_I walk downstairs, and to my surprise, I see a police officer. "Auntie, what's wrong?" I ask, confused. _

"_Are you Ashida Tetsuya, the son of Ashida Satoru and Ashida Hoshimi?" the officer asks. I slowly nod in bewilderment. The officer lowers his head sadly._

"_Last night, there was a car accident caused by a drunk driver, which both your parents were involved in," he tells me solemnly. "Both of them died instantly."_

_I suddenly feel my world stop around me. I look up at the officer in disbelief. "Are you… Are you serious?" I ask, my voice shaking. He looks at me with empathetic eyes, making me realize that it's true. My parents are dead._

"_No…" I whisper in shock. I feel tears in my eyes and they slowly start to flow down my cheeks as I collapse on the ground, sobbing. I'll never be able to see my parents again. Never feel my mom's arms around me, never feel my dad's hand ruffling my hair, never be able to look at them smiling as I graduate high school... the were gone forever._

I look down, wiping away the unshed tears. "I miss them a lot," I say sadly. "I really do. Sometimes, I wonder what they might think of me and where I am standing right now if they were alive."

Renge gently touches my arm. "Tetsuya, they'll be very proud of you," she tells me. "I mean, you're attending one of the most prestigious schools in all of Japan on a music scholarship, right?"

I smile at her. "Yeah, you're right," I say. I pat her head gently. "Thanks." I turn and walk into the kitchen. "Would you like some tea?" I ask.

She nods. "That would be nice, thanks."

As I make the tea, she sits at the small kitchen table. "Ne, Tetsuya? If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?" she asks me.

I think. "I don't know, I haven't really thought of that. I don't really travel much, but when I do, it's within Japan to somewhere like Karuizawa. But, I would like to visit Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. A friend of mine who moved to Canada once visited there, and he sent me some pictures back, and it looks so awesome."

"I actually once traveled to Montreal," Renge tells me. "It's a very nice city, with European architecture and designs. However, the people in Montreal speak a completely different kind of French. It's very different from European French, like, they have a few words that aren't used at all in France."

I nod. "My brother wants to go all over Canada for his honeymoon. He wants to start out in Vancouver, and go hiking in all the national parks, and either camp or stay at bed-and-breakfasts, and then, he'll go to each province on a bus," I say. "I kind of want to do something like that. Except, I want to go all over Scandinavia."

"I see." I hear Renge giggle. "When I was a little kid, I had once gone to Bordeaux for the summer and we were staying in our summer villa when we came across a wedding in the countryside. The bride looked so beautiful, in a long white dress and veil, and she looked so happy. The wedding was very grand as well. After seeing that, I wanted nothing more than to have a wedding like that couple."

I can't help but smile as I give the tea to her. She suddenly looks over and sees the upright piano sitting in the main room. "Tetsuya, can I hear you play the piano?" she asks. I look in surprise but smile.

"Sure. What song would you like?" I ask.

"Anything," she tells me as we walk to the main room.

I sit at the piano and start playing _Fur Elise _by Beethoven. It's one of my favourite pieces to play, since my dad loved to play it a lot. This was one of the classical pieces I had learned to play by myself. I make sure to play it with great expression and with dynamics. When I finish playing, I hear Renge clapping. "Wow, that was really good!" she praises.

I smile shyly. "Th-Thanks," I thank. "This has always been one of my favourites." I look at her. "What about you? Which pieces do you like to play on the harp?"

"I like to play _Danses Sacree et Profane _by Claude Debussy on the harp. It's a very pretty piece," she tells me.

"That used to be a favourite of my mother's," I say, looking down so she wouldn't see me blushing. "She actually used to play it to help me fall asleep when I was a kid."

"That's so cute!" she says. I suddenly get an idea.

"Hey Renge, would you like to play some video games?" I ask, smiling slightly. She looks at me with eager eyes.

"Sure! I love video games, especially _Uki Doki Memorial_!" she nearly squeals. I laugh.

"No, I mean real games, like _Call of Duty: Black Ops_," I say. "Want to give it a try?" I ask.

She nods eagerly. "S-Sure!"

I start up the Xbox and give her a controller, telling her the controls. We go on multiplayer mode, and as we start playing, it seems like I'm winning. However, my team suddenly gets wiped out, and I hear Renge cheering beside me. "I won!" she cheers.

I look at her in surprise. "Wow, you're pretty good at this!" I say. "How bout another round?" I ask.

We continue playing against each other for a while, and each time, I can't help but get distracted by Renge. I mean that I can't help but look at how she acts when playing _Call of Duty_. She looks so focused and she handles the controls so well that it's almost endearing.

"Well, how's this game for you?" I ask. She smiles at me.

"It's actually pretty fun!" she tells me. I smile.

"Tell me, Renge. I'm a bit interested to know about what you like and all," I say casually.

"I like videogames and anime," she tells me. "Mainly _Uki Doki Memorial_. The reason why I like it so much is because it allows me to pretend I'm actually in a relationship, that there is someone who truly loves me."

I nod slowly. "I see. What about books?" I ask.

"I like to read _Harry Potter_ and _Lord of the Rings_," she tells me. I look at her in surprise.

"Seriously?! I love _Lord of the Rings_!" I say. This girl is so different from the girls at Ouran! Sure, she likes romance and all that, but she's kind of nerdy, and I like that. I never thought I would meet a girl who likes the _Lord of the Rings _books and not the movies. Turns out, we really do have quite a lot in common!

"Oi, Tetsuya, we're home!" I turn and see Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi come in. However, I notice that Natsumi's once auburn hair is now blonde.

They both stop and see Renge. "Who's this girl? Is she your girlfriend?" Hiroshi-nii asks, winking teasingly at me.

"She's a friend of mine," I say. "This is Houshakuji Renge of Class 1-A. Renge, this is my older brother Ashida Hiroshi, and his fiance Fujiwara Natsumi."

She bows. "It's nice to meet you," she says, smiling at them. Natsumi smiles.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too," Natsumi greets. "You're a very lovely girl, you know?"

"Eh, Natsumi? Why'd you dye your hair?" I ask.

"Oh, I just felt like it," she replies. "So, tell me, Renge-san, why are you here?"

"I just wanted to see where Tetsuya lived," she says. "You know, Hiroshi-san, your brother is very good at piano."

Hiroshi-nii chuckles. "Oh yeah, he's been playing since he was five," he says. "You know, you can stay for dinner if you want."

"I don't want to impose on you like this," she says. "I'll be on my way now. See you in school!" she says, waving at me. I smile back.

"See you, Renge," I say as she walks out.

Hiroshi-nii smiles at me as we eat dinner. "She's very pretty. So, how did you two become such good friends?" he asks.

"Well, she first moved from France into Class 1-A at Ouran, and she was rather delusional, since she was under the impression that one of my classmates, Ootori Kyoya, was her fiance. However, she smartened up and I had once stopped her from being bullied by a group of girls. We actually have a few things in common. We play musical instruments, and we both like video games and all that."

Natsumi chuckles. "Could this be the beginning of love?" she asks teasingly. I look at her in shock.

"Wh-Wha?! No!" I protest. "There's no way I'm falling in love!" I say.

"That's what they always say," Hiroshi-nii tells me as he ruffles my hair. "But you never know. You might just grow to like her."

I remain quiet as I eat, but I can't help but think about what he just said. He's right actually, but I don't plan on dating anytime soon. Then again, only time will tell. Who knows what might happen with me and Renge?


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow. Chapter 10 is exactly 2,356 words long, longer than my usual chapters! Anyways, enjoy Chapter 10!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 10- A Secret Skill Unveiled**

I stop by the river and take a sip of my water. I've just gone out on a run, which is something I like to do in the evenings, since it allows me to focus when doing my homework. As I take out my water bottle, I stare out at the river. It's very nice in the evenings, when the sun is setting and the reflection in the water is imperfect. I tend to come here a lot when I have a lot on my mind. A certain incident at school has gotten me kind of confused.

I had just helped another baby bird back up into its mother's nest during lunch at school today. I didn't really do much, I just picked it up and put it back in the nest. However, a few girls had seen this, and they immediately went crazy, going on about how kind and caring I was and all that. I will never understand girls.

"Oi, Ashida!" I look up and to my surprise and joy, I see an old friend of mine, Hamasaki Takumi, walking through the park. I walk up to him, excited to see him.

"Hey, Hamasaki! Long time no see, huh?" I say, grinning as I give him a friendly punch on the shoulder. Hamasaki and I have been good friends since middle school, and throughout our first year of high school.

"So, how's school with the rich kids?" he asks teasingly. I laugh.

"When I first arrived, everyone was staring at me, since they thought I was the son of a Yakuza boss or something like that!" I say. "But, no one stares anymore, and I have some friendly acquaintances at school. How are you doing?"

"I'm still making good grades. However, Kawahara High is not any better," he says. "I had to take some self-defense classes to help me out." Hamasaki then gives me a sly smirk. "So, Ashida, have you met any girls? What are they like?"

"Well, the girls at Ouran Academy are very pretty no doubt, but, majority of them are too timid," I say. "I don't plan on dating right now, though."

"Oh? I heard that you were recently hanging out with another girl from that school," he tells me.

I hold my hands up. "Okay, yeah, I've been hanging out with a girl. She's a first-year, and she's different from the girls there. Sure, she likes romance and all that, but she loves video games, _Harry Potter_, and _Lord of the Rings_. Her name's Renge."

Hamasaki smiles. "You like her, don't you?" he tells me. I look at him in disbelief.

"Shut up, she's good company," I say, lightly punching him in the shoulder. "I told myself that I'd never date again. Not after what Mayumi did to me."

"Speaking of her, I hear that she's gonna stop at nothing to get you back," he tells me. "I just thought I'd let you know. Anyways, you can't keep holding yourself back from the dating world just because of her. I mean, it's not going to help. I know it's heartbreaking to catch your girlfriend cheating, but you can't let that hold you back." He pats my shoulder. "Just think about it. Anyways, I have to go home now. It was nice to catch up with you, Ashida!"

"Nice to catch up with you too!" I call back. I look at my watch. "Yeah, I probably should get going as well."

As I walk through the park, I see mothers and young children abandoning the playground, elderly people slowly making their way home, teens or university students heading back with either friends or pets. Once I leave the park, I decide to take a shortcut through an alley to get home.

I walk through the alley, trying not to inhale the stench of garbage and other disgusting things. I start speeding up in my pace, since I don't want to be caught in the alley after dark. I avoid eye contact with all the sketchy-looking people in the alley, and I start to regret my choice of route. _Damn it. If I had taken my usual route, I would've avoided this!_

Fortunately, I see the main street. Once I get out of here, I'm going to take either a bus or a metro to my apartment. I walk faster towards the main street, when suddenly, I feel my body being thrown up against the wall. "Tetsuya, you asshole!" I hear a familiar voice yell at me. I open my eyes and see… Arashi!

"Arashi?!" I exclaim, both shocked and angry. "What the hell was that fo-" I'm cut off when a sudden punch is delivered to my stomach.

"Don't you dare play innocent!" he snarls. "You thought you could put those photos up on Facebook and get away with it?! Huh?!"

I look at him in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about? I didn't post any photos on Facebook! Hell, I don't even _have _Facebook!" I protest. And it's the truth. I don't have any form of social media, and I don't know what he's talking about!

Arashi glares at me and shows me a screenshot of a photo. And what do you know? It happens to be a photo of him and Mayumi kissing in a hallway. "I didn't post that!" I snarl. "Someone else did!"

"Quit lying, you bastard!" This time, he punches me in the face, and I can feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. "Because of you, no girl will date me, and I've become a major joke at school!"

I smirk as I wipe a trail of blood away from my mouth. "Good. Maybe that'll teach you to think twice before going and sleeping with the girlfriends of other guys," I retort, spitting some blood out of my mouth.

Okay, maybe saying that last comment was a dumb move, but it's worth the blow that sends me flying into a trash can. I slowly stand up, getting into a fighting stance. "As I said before, it wasn't me, it's a poser. But if I have to beat you to prove my point, then I'll beat you." With that, I start fighting.

I deliver a jumping, spinning kick to his upper torso, sending him flying a few feet back. He charges at me, sending punches my way, but I avoid them swiftly. However, that doesn't last long when I try and knee him in the stomach. I suddenly feel his hands grab my knee, and promptly hurl me against another trash can.

Our fight continues to get worse, and I soon realize that I might not be able to defeat Arashi. I'm mainly relying on grace and swiftness to help me deliver my punches and kicks, while he's just going all out. You see, I actually used to do figure skating when I was younger, and it helped me become more graceful and artistic in my movements. I had quit before moving to Tokyo, but it seems like my skating instincts are kicking in, even as I fight.

By now, I'm covered in cuts and bruises, and I'm slowly starting to lose my energy. _Shoot! This isn't good! If I don't have enough energy, I'm a goner! _I clutch my stomach and wince in pain. I hope none of my bones are broken. Suddenly, I'm sent flying back against the wall by Arashi's fists again. I hit the wall and pain shoots through my body as I cough out blood, too weak and injured to move. I look up and see Arashi looming over me, grinning sadistically.

"This is the last blow you'll ever feel, Ashida Tetsuya," he grins, cracking his knuckles. "Say goodbye!" I close my eyes, preparing myself for the final punch. It doesn't come. Instead, I hear the sound of something being hit over his head. I open my eyes and to my shock, I see Renge standing in front of me.

"You jerk!" Renge snarls, becoming almost like Medusa. "Leave him alone, will you?! Or I swear, you will face my wrath!" She screams and yells in anger as she repeatedly whacks Arashi over the head with her bag. Suddenly, I see her kick him in the crotch, and I feel a sense of satisfaction as I look at him crumple over before running away. She turns to me, concern and worry in her eyes.

"Oh my gosh, Tetsuya!" she whispers in shock. "You're injured! We have to get you to a hospital!"

I attempt to sit up, wincing slightly. "No, it's nothing major," I say. "It's nothing a few bandages and some sleep won't cure."

She helps me up and she calls her driver over. When her car comes, we get inside and Renge gives the directions to my apartment to the driver. I look at her. "Wait, Renge. How did you get here so fast?" I ask.

"Oh, I was looking for more of that fruit candy in the late-night convenience store here, when I heard the sounds of fighting, and I saw you and that guy fighting," she says nonchalantly. I stare in shock at her.

"Renge! You do realize that this is a very unsafe part of Tokyo?! Some of the most sketchiest people are on the streets at this time of night!" I tell her.

"Well, then why were you here?" she asks me. I look down in embarrassment.

"I was out on an evening run, and I decided to take a shortcut through an alley, since someone told me about a shortcut through an alley and how it would lead me back to my apartment, and I think I took the wrong alley," I explain. "Then, Arashi decided to fight me, since he thought that I put up a picture of him and my ex Mayumi kissing on Facebook, even though I have no Facebook."

Renge gently touches my shoulder and I wince. "Can you… be a bit more gentle?" I ask.

"Sorry," she apologizes.

"I probably worried the heck out of Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi right now," I mumble to myself.

We arrive at my apartment, and Renge helps me walk inside. Right then, I see Natsumi come around the corner. "Tetsuya, you're finally back!" Natsumi exclaims, worry laced in her voice. "We were worried ab-" she stops when she sees my state, and Renge helping me in the apartment.

"Oh wow, what happened to you?" Hiroshi-nii asks, concerned.

"Got into a fight," I say. "Arashi started it, though."

Renge gently helps me sit down on the sofa. "Is there a first-aid box anywhere?" she asks.

"I have it," Natsumi says, bringing the first-aid box out before she and Hiroshi-nii go back into the kitchen to get me some food. Renge then turns to me.

"Tetsuya, you need to take your shirt off," she tells me.

I slowly pull my exercise shirt off, wincing every time the fabric rubbed against a wound. Soon, my shirt is off, and Renge is gently spraying an antiseptic spray onto my wounds, making sure to disinfect them. I wince at the stinging sensation, trying to look manly. "You know, Tetsuya," she begins. "I saw the way you were fighting back there, and I couldn't help but notice how graceful you moved. Like, it wasn't just brawl, it was almost like art, very graceful and elegant."

I look down so she won't see me blushing. "Well, when I was younger, I used to take figure skating, to help me improve my balance and muscles, so I have that grace and artistic style that figure skaters have. Even though I quit in my last year of middle school, the grace of a figure skater comes out whenever I fight. I only took a year of karate, but I somehow managed to mix both karate and skating moves in fighting."

Renge looks at me, impressed. "Wow, that's actually pretty amazing!" she says as she wraps a bandage around my arm. "I'd honestly like to see you figure skate one day!"

I smile. "Well, I haven't done it in a while now, so I'm probably not going to be amazing," I say.

I can't help but admire Renge and how focused she looks right now. However, I can also see a faint tinge of red on her cheeks as she continues applying my bandages. It's quite endearing to watch, and almost cute. Eventually, she ties the last bandage and finishes up. "Okay, Tetsuya. I'm done," she tells me. "I'll see you in school tomorrow. Take care!"

"Wait." She turns around. I give her a soft smile. "Thank you, Renge. Thanks for taking care of my injuries. Good night," I thank. Renge smiles at me before leaving in her car.

After dinner, I decide to have a bath to try and calm down from the brutal fight that I was in. As I sit in the hot water, I find that my face is heating up. And it's not just from the hot water. I can't help but remember feeling Renge's gentle fingers on my chest as she cleaned out and bandaged my wounds. Even though the wounds hurt like hell, it was worth getting taken care of by Renge. She really took the time to make sure I'm okay and that my wounds were tended to. She's truly unique and interesting, and I'm honestly looking forward to getting to know her more.


	11. Chapter 11

**I felt like doing a cute chapter, which included Kirimi, since she is so adorable and tiny and cute! Her debut episode was absolutely cute, and I just had to include a chapter of her in this story! :) Reviews and feedback are encouraged! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 11- Kirimi, not Sashimi!**

"Your golden hair that glows in the flickering candlelight…" Nekozawa-senpai recites. "Your shining, ivory skin… your smile, mysterious as a flower in the moonlight… yes, it's like… it's like you're a cursed wax doll, burning with malevolence!" he suddenly growls evilly, only to be whacked upside the head by an enraged Renge.

"You've got it all wrong, you numbskull! Who told you to say those lines?! I thought we agreed that occult terms were off-limits!" she snarls.

What are we doing? Well, we're trying to help Nekozawa-senpai, the leader of the Black Magic Club, reform his character, to help him convince his five-year-old sister, Nekozawa Kirimi, that he's her princely big brother. When she first came into the Host Club, she said a bunch of things that were in shoujo manga, and it shocked us quite a bit. She's afraid of the dark, which Nekozawa-senpai loves. He, on the other hand, is afraid of the light. So, we're trying to help him with that. Renge had given him some lines for him to recite, but that has failed pretty badly.

As she continues to yell and scold Nekozawa-senpai like a Spartan general, I turn to Kyoya, suddenly remembering the incident from a few days ago. "Hey Kyoya?" I ask. He turns to me. "Listen, a few days ago, my ex-best friend came after me and beat me up, because I had apparently put up a picture of him and Mayumi kissing, which humiliated him and ruined his reputation. However, I did no such thing, because I don't have Facebook or any social media, and it's clear that a poser did this. Do you think you could try and find out who did it?" I ask.

Kyoya adjusts his glasses. "Well, I need to see what the photo is," he says, taking out his laptop. I immediately show him the actual link on Facebook, and he takes a closer look. "I believe what you say, Tetsuya. It is possible for me to trace the IP address of this person through Facebook chat, and I just have to see if they have done any chatting on Facebook…" he trails off. "This is very strange. It appears that this person simply created an account under your name just to put this photo up. There's no other photos or activity on this."

"Huh?!" I ask. "So it is a poser!"

Kyoya closes his laptop. "I'll try and find out the source of this image, Tetsuya," he tells me. "I have connections who will help me out. When I find out the information, I will let you know as soon as possible."

"Thanks," I say.

Right then, Kyoya steps up. "Okay, Nekozawa-senpai, you can have a break," he says. "Renge, let's take a break from this. Oh, and since we all took turns looking after Kirimi, you and Tetsuya are in charge of Kirimi." A glare shines off his glasses as he smirks.

_What?! Why me?! _However, I keep my mouth shut as Renge and I take Kirimi outside. We sit down on a bench in the courtyard and watch over Kirimi, who's happily playing with some flowers. She soon comes up to us, crying. "I fell and cut my elbow!" she sobs, showing me a small cut on her elbow.

For some reason, I find my heartstrings being pulled at the girl's tears. I gently hold her shoulders. "Oi, oi, oi, don't cry," I say softly, wiping away her tears. I take a small band aid box out of my pocket which I carry with me a lot. After cleaning out the cut, I place the band aid on her elbow. "There. It's all better."

She smiles at me. "Thanks, Onii-tan!" she thanks me. I smile as I ruffle her hair.

"No problem," I say. _She's so cute and adorable. _I can't help it. Her big innocent eyes are enough to melt the heart of probably even the most toughest delinquent out there.

Renge smiles. "You know, you're very good with little kids, especially little girls," she compliments.

I smile shyly. "Well, a good friend of mine has a little sister around her age, and whenever I hung out with my friend, she always loved to play with the both of us, especially me. I also kind of have a weak spot for little kids and babies," I say, blushing slightly.

She giggles. "That's so cute!" she says. "I never knew that kids were your soft spot!"

I blush even further. "Yeah. In all honesty, I can't wait to be an uncle, for when my soon-to-be sister-in-law has kids."

Renge looks at me in excitement. "Oh right! You said your brother's going to get married soon! When's their wedding?" she asks.

"It's going to be in the summer," I say. "It's going to be at a chapel, and we're inviting our grandparents, our aunt and uncle, and some close friends."

"Oh, that's great!" she says. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," I say. "I'm kind of excited for the wedding."

"The last wedding I ever attended was for my aunt when I was seven," Renge tells me. "She had it in a castle in France, and it was one of the most amazing weddings ever. I was a flower girl, and it was so much fun."

Right then, we hear Kirimi coming up to us. "Can you two come and play with me?" she asks.

"Okay, Kirimi-chan," I say. "What would you like to play?"

Kirimi smiles. "Let's pretend that we're at a wedding!" she declares. "You'll be the groom," she says, pointing to me. "And you'll be the bride!" she says to Renge.

I feel my face heating up right then. "A-And you…?"

"I'll be the person to marry you!" she says happily.

Her smile is so cute and sweet that we just can't say no. In the end, we just go along. She quickly runs off, and comes back with a bunch of daisies, and a single daisy. "Here's your bouquet," she says, giving the bouquet to Renge. "And here's your tuxedo flower!"

Okay, this girl is just too cute right now. We turn and look at each other as Kirimi starts talking. "We have come here today to see this man and woman get married. Will you take this woman as your wife?" she asks me.

I blush slightly. "I-I do," I say shyly.

"Will you take this man as your husband?" she asks Renge.

Renge blushes. "I do."

"Yay! Now, you may kiss!" she cheers.

I blanch. "W-Wait, we're supposed to…"

Kirimi starts to pout, tears filling her eyes. I sigh. "Okay. But on the cheek," I say.

I gently hold Renge's face, brushing away a strand of her caramel-coloured hair. I slowly lean into her cheek as she stares at me with wide eyes, and I give a slight kiss on the cheek. Actually, I just barely brush my lips against her soft cheek, but even then, it's enough to send a slight thrill of joy through me. Her skin is so soft, and I could get a slight whiff of her hair, and it smells nice, like lotus flowers. I quickly pull away, turning away so she doesn't see me blushing.

"Yay! I now declare you husband and wife!" she cheers.

We both smile at her. "Let's go back to the club," I say. Renge nods.

"Yeah," she agrees.

We arrive back at the club, which is in the science room, but Kirimi starts to cry because it's too dark. When Tamaki starts to comfort her, Nekozawa-senpai suddenly starts to repeat, "I am a fantastic princely big brother" over and over, before shining a flashlight in his face.

"Amazing! Nekozawa-senpai's finally able to shine a flashlight in his own face!" Renge praises.

"See Kirimi-chan? That's your real big brother!" Tamaki says.

Kirimi walks up to Nekozawa-senpai… only to be terrified out of her wits when seeing him with a flashlight under his chin. She starts bawling in terror before running out of the room. "K-Kirimi!" Nekozawa-senpai calls in despair.

_That must've been pretty terrifying for her. Poor thing. _I think as her cries resonate through the hallways.

"Enough," he says. "Even if I go through more training, Kirimi won't accept me. Suoh-kun, you should be her replacement brother."

Tamaki steps up, a firm look on his face. "You're the one whom she truly wants to see, right? Then, if you're a man, you should face your fears, even if it kills you!"

"Oi, isn't that your sister in the courtyard?" Hikaru asks, looking through the now open windows.

"There's something down there with her," Kaoru adds. "Oh, it's a cat."

"Your family really loves cats, right?" I ask.

"No! It can't be!" Nekozawa-senpai suddenly exclaims. "Even though the Nekozawa family worships cats, there can't be something as occult as Kirimi becoming all friendly with a stray cat! Kirimi's afraid of animals, especially live cats!"

Much to our shock, Nekozawa-senpai suddenly breaks through the window. Even I'm shocked. I've seen guys punch each other through classrooms and hallways, but never break through windows! However, it all turns out to be great in the end, because Kirimi recognizes him as her real older brother, and there's a happy brother/sister reunion.

As we walk out of the school, I see Renge walking towards her limousine. "Oi, Renge!" I call. She turns around. "W-Would you like to attend my brother's wedding this summer?" I ask. "My brother said I could invite maybe one or two close friends."

She smiles. "I'd love to! Thanks for the invite, Tetsuya!"

"Okay then, see you tomorrow at school," I say. As I turn to walk away, I suddenly hear her call my name. "Wait, Tetsuya!"

I turn around. "What is it?" I ask. Suddenly, I'm given a kiss on the cheek. My eyes widen in shock as I touch my cheek, blushing. Renge looks down shyly.

"You kissed me on the cheek, so I thought I should do the same," she stammers. "Good night!" She quickly runs off.

I walk away, my mind already fuzzy. "R-Renge just… kissed my cheek…" I say, dazed. And it has given me a warm feeling, a warm, happy feeling.


	12. Chapter 12

**I already edited Chapter 6 when the wedding is mentioned, and I've made it a Western-style wedding instead of a traditional Japanese wedding. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 12- My Feelings Realized**

Summer has finally come, and today is the wedding day of my brother. In all honesty, I can't wait to see my brother getting married. I smile as I put on my black tuxedo, tying my black bowtie. "Oi, Hiroshi-nii," I say. "Need help?"

"What're you talking about?" he asks. "I'm fine, just a bit nervous."

I smile at him. "Don't worry," I reassure. "What are you worried about? The vows?"

He shakes his head. "Nah, I think I'm just worried in general," he tells me.

We arrive at the chapel for the ceremony, and I go and sit down in a chair. "Hey, Tetsuya!" I look up and see Renge.

"Hey Renge," I greet, smiling at her. She looks very pretty, in a lavender coloured one-shoulder dress, and her hair is tied in a side ponytail. "Wow, you look cute," I compliment.

She looks surprised for a moment. "Oh… thanks…" she says softly. "You excited?"

I nod. "Yeah. I'm excited to have a new sister-in-law," I say. "Already, Natsumi's like a sister, and now I'm going to have to get used to calling her Natsumi-nee."

She giggles. "Yeah. By the way, do you think I'm late for this?" she asks. "I'm still recovering from the jetlag after my vacation in Italy."

"Wow, you went to Italy?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's very nice," she tells me. "I went to Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence, Venice, all those places. It was really nice."

"I can imagine," I say. "This morning, my grandma was crying a lot, and I don't blame her. Not only was she happy that Hiroshi-nii's getting married, she's sad that our parents aren't here to see it. I am as well. They would've really liked Natsumi-nee."

Renge nods. "Yeah, it's definitely sad," she agrees.

"Oi, Ashida!" Hamasaki greets as he sits next to me. I smile at him. "Congratulations," he tells me.

I chuckle. "Thanks. I'm going to be a brother-in-law soon, can you believe it?" I ask. "Oh, Renge, this is my good friend Hamasaki Takumi. Hamasaki, this is my other good friend Houshakuji Renge," I introduce the two.

"Nice to meet you, Houshakuji-san," he greets. He suddenly smirks. "Wow, she's really cute. You know, if you end up dating Ashida over here, you'll definitely be treated like a queen."

Renge blushes and I give him a disbelieving stare. Before I can say anything, we all have to rise as Natsumi-nee appears. And wow, she really does look beautiful. Her hair is tied in a French twist, and she wears a long-sleeved white gown with a long veil. I see Hiroshi-nii's reaction, and I can't help but smile at his reaction. He just has a proud smile on his face, like he's happy to be marrying this girl.

After the vows and the rings are exchanged, Hiroshi-nii and Natsumi-nee kiss, and we leave the chapel for the reception at the park.

During the reception, I find myself staring at a lotus bloom in the small pond. _A lotus flower… it looks very pretty in the moonlight._ I turn and see Renge talking with my new sister-in-law, while looking at me occasionally. I can't help but admire her as well. She looks amazing right now. I mean, sure, she's always looked cute, but now, she looks really beautiful, like she's gone from being a delusional otaku girl to a fairly mature young lady. She's like… a lotus in the rain. She's a beautiful flower, but has flaws at the same time. But those flaws bring out some of the best traits about her, hence the rain part. The rain helps her bloom and show her true beauty.

"Oi, Ashida." I look up and see Hamasaki smiling at me. "Good job with your piano performance. I haven't seen you since that part."

I nod. "Yeah, I'm just thinking through a few things right now," I say.

He looks at Renge. "This is about Renge, isn't it?"

I sigh. "I don't know what I feel about her. I told myself that I'd never fall in love, but the more I spend time with Renge, the more I want to be with her, protect her, and just… I don't know," I say. He smiles and pats my shoulder.

"Tell me, what do you think of her?" Hiroshi-nii asks, suddenly coming up to us.

I look down. "She was very crazy when I first met her, but now, I kind of like that about her. She can be really cute sometimes, but she's really beautiful. She truly understands me, and we have a lot in common. She trusts me enough to tell her about how her mother left her, and I trust her enough to tell her about my own parents. I… I honestly, truly care about her, and I want to be there for her, no matter what," I say.

Hamasaki chuckles. "Well, there you have it," he tells me. "You're in love."

I stare at him in surprise. "Wha…? Love?" I ask. "No, Hamasaki, not again! Not after Mayumi! I don't want to be hurt again!"

Hiroshi-nii sighs. "Listen, Tetsuya. You're my brother, and I've known you long enough. What you and Renge have, this is nothing like what you and Mayumi had. Mayumi was just a crush. A crush, and you know it. She was simply using you for her own benefit, and cheated on you many times. She never took the time to understand you, to get to know the real you, right?" he asks.

I widen my eyes in realization. "You're right…" And it's true. I can't believe I never even realized already. I've done so much for Renge because I've fallen for her. But this isn't the foolish crush that I thought was love with Mayumi. This is real love.

"Then go and tell her how you truly feel," he tells me. "Now, in about half an hour, I have to go get changed, since we have a long flight to Vancouver."

I look at him in surprise. "Wait, you're going ahead with the whole hiking around Canada honeymoon?!" I ask. He chuckles.

"I've been saving up for it since the day I proposed," he says. "You'll be fine by yourself, right? Or would you rather stay at Hamasaki's house?"

"I'm fine," I say.

As we leave the park, I see Renge come up to me. "Ne, Tetsuya? My father wishes to meet you sometime this week," she tells me, giving me her address.

I blanch. Her… father? I haven't even confessed yet, and she wants me to meet her father?! What will he think of me? Will he see me as a good person, or only as a commoner? Wait, I shouldn't be worrying already. I can't control anything right now. I'll worry when the time comes.


	13. Chapter 13

**The title of this chapter means "You are my sweet lotus", and I thought it was fitting, since Renge actually means 'lotus' in Japanese. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 13- Omae Wa Ore No Amai Hasudesu (****おまえ は おれ の あまい はすです****)**

I change into a clean maroon button-up shirt and black pants, as well as combing my hair a bit. I want to make myself look presentable to Renge's father, and I also plan on confessing to Renge today. She told me that her driver will come and pick me up, since her mansion is kind of a long walk. I wait outside my apartment, holding a small bouquet of wildflowers. Soon, her limousine arrives, and her driver invites me in.

A while later, we arrive at the large French-style mansion. "If you please, Ashida-sama," the driver says, holding the door open. I step out and go up to the large doors and press the doorbell. The door opens and I see a formally dressed maid standing in the doorway.

"You must be Ashida-sama, am I correct?" she asks. I nod.

"Yeah," I say. "I'm here to see Renge."

"Right this way, please," the maid says, taking my hand and leading me through the grand hallways. "Renge-sama is waiting for you in the parlour."

We arrive at the parlour, where I see Renge sitting on a fancy cream-coloured chair. She wears a pale green dress with a white bolero. She smiles upon seeing me. "Hi Tetsuya!" she greets enthusiastically.

I smile as I hand her the flowers. "Here. I, uh, got you some flowers," I say.

The parlour room is very fancy and grand. The walls are a pale green colour, and the furniture are made from mahogany wood and are all cream. There is a large harp sitting near a grand piano, and I see a few paintings by artists such as Monet and Degas. "You have a very fancy house," I tell her. She giggles.

"Thanks," she tells me. "Would you like some tea? My father's a bit held up right now, so we have to wait."

"I would like to hear you play the harp," I say. "Since you heard me play piano, I'd like to hear a song on the harp."

She blushes slightly, but nods. "Uh, sure," she says. "Which song would you like to hear?" she asks. I smile.

"_Consolation No.3 _by Franz Liszt," I say.

She smiles. "That's another favourite of mine."

Renge starts to pluck the strings of the harp, creating the beautiful, melodious music that my mother so often loved to play. I close my eyes as I allow the familiar music to flow through my ears. I can't help but admire the way she looks as she plays the instrument. Her eyes are closed, and she has a gentle, serene expression on her face, and it's clear that she's lost in the music. I can't help but notice a slight air of sadness in her expression as well.

When she's done, I clap. "That was very beautiful, Renge," I praise. "However, I noticed you seemed kind of sad while you played."

She looks down. "That used to be a favourite piece of my mother. She loved to hear me play it when I was younger," she says.

"Right," I say. I look down shyly.

"Ano… Tetsuya?" she asks curiously. "You seem a bit… off today. Why?"

I look up. "Listen, Renge. I have something to tell you," I begin as I walk up to her.

I take a deep breath. _It's now or never! _"Renge… you mean a lot to me," I say. "Sure, when you first came here, I thought you were kind of crazy, since you were obsessed with video games and all that. However, the more time I spent with you, the better I got to know you. You're one of the best girls I've ever seen. You're beautiful, kind, and very understanding, and you are amazing at the harp. Before I met you, I was afraid to fall in love, after being hurt and heartbroken. You changed that, Renge. You're a lotus in the rain. You're like a flower, but you have flaws. When you're in the rain, however, your flaws make you even more beautiful when you bloom. You're my lotus, Renge. You're my sweet lotus. I want to be there for you, no matter what. It hurts me to see you hurt, and I want to keep you safe. I want to be with you Renge. I… I love you…"

I look at her, and I see a look of shock and happiness. Tears well up in her eyes. "Tetsuya…" she begins. "I've always wanted to hear you say that to me. You mean a lot to me as well. You're very kind and sweet and caring, despite your appearance. You care about others, and you've done so much for me. I love how you handle bad situations, and how you think through things clearly. When I saw you fighting, it scared me, Tetsuya. Even though you take the physical blows, I feel the blow as well. It hurts me to see you hurt as well. You showed me what it's like to truly be in love, Tetsuya. And I'm forever grateful for that. I love you, Tetsuya."

I smile at her, a real, sincere smile. She smiles back, and I pull her into a hug. Her sweet lotus fragrance fills my senses, and I hold her tighter. I pull away from the hug and gently caress her face. "Renge… may I kiss you?" I ask.

She nods. "Yes."

I slowly lean in, closing my eyes. Soon, my lips gently press against hers in a gentle, sweet kiss. Sure, I've kissed Mayumi before, but those kisses never had any emotion in them. They always felt forced, especially when she started kissing me a bit too passionately. However, with Renge, it feels natural. Her lips are soft and sweet, but she's hesitant, which shows her inexperience. I don't care at all. I eventually pull away and stare into her eyes, gently resting my forehead against hers. "I love you… my sweet lotus," I whisper.

"I love you," she whispers to me, smiling.

"Renge-sama? Ashida-sama?" A maid's voice brings us out of our reverie. "Houshakuji-sama wishes to meet the both of you in his study."

The maid escorts us to the study. Inside, behind a large mahogany desk, I see a formally dressed man with neatly combed black hair, and a moustache. Renge bows slightly. "Father, I would like you to meet my boyfriend, Ashida Tetsuya." She turns to me. "Tetsuya, this is my father, Houshakuji Reynard."

I bow. "A pleasure to meet you, Houshakuji-san," I say.

He rises from his desk, looking at me. "So, you're the boy that my daughter has been telling me all about so fondly," he says. "I've heard that you play piano, right?"

I nod. "Yes. I've been playing since I was a child," I say. "Both my parents were music teachers."

"Were?"

"They were both killed in a car crash three years ago," I say. "I used to live in Sapporo with my parents, but I live with my older brother now."

Renge's father continues to ask questions about me, and I answer them nervously. After a while, he simply nods his head. "You are a good man, Tetsuya. I hope you treat my daughter well. In fact, I might just consider you as a candidate for a suitor."

I stare in shock. He's already thinking that far ahead?! "Uhh, I was wanting your permission to date your daughter right now," I say.

Houshakuji-san chuckles. "Why, sure thing. You have my permission," he says. "You two are free to go."

Once we leave the study, I let out a sigh of relief. "Man, I thought I was dead meat!" I say.

Renge chuckles. "It seems like my father's taken a liking to you," she says.

I nod. I'm glad her father approves of our new relationship. "Renge, I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy," I promise. "Before summer ends, will you go on a date with me?"

She nods, smiling at me. "Yes."


	14. Chapter 14

**So so sorry for the late update! I had some major writer's block with this chapter, but here it is! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me.**

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**Chapter 14- The Autumn Ball: Where Things Go Horribly Wrong**

"How do I look?" I ask as I finish tying my black bowtie. Hiroshi-nii smiles.

"Nice," he says. "I don't understand why Ouran holds such fancy balls. Then again, it's a private school."

School has reopened, and I've started the next term of my second year of senior high school. My relationship with Renge has been great and healthy. Our first date together was a summer picnic in the park, and since then, we've gone on more dates together. Tonight is the Autumn Ball that is held every year in Ouran in October. I had asked Renge to be my date, and she happily agreed.

"You look so handsome!" Natsumi compliments.

"Thanks," I say. "Here's the address to her house." I hand Hiroshi-nii the address.

"Okay, lover boy," he teases, ruffling my hair. "Let's go."

I have agreed to get a ride with Hiroshi-nii to Renge's mansion, and from there, the two of us will go to the school. I'm kind of excited for the dance, but at the same time, I'm a bit nervous as well. It's my first dance, and I have no experience in ballroom dancing whatsoever. However, there's also another reason. Those mean girls whom I caught picking on Renge? Well, they've started targeting her even more, and Mayumi's just gotten worse. She's become super jealous and catty now. I really hope nothing goes wrong during the dance.

I knock on the door of Renge's mansion, and I'm escorted inside by a maid. Right then, I see her. And man, does she look beautiful. She wears a long strapless golden-orange ballgown with a simple gold lotus pendant. Her long caramel-coloured hair is softly curled into a side ponytail with a pale orange rose in the ponytail. Her face is covered in a light layer of makeup, enough to show off her natural beauty. Also, under the soft light that the chandelier casts, she looks almost celestial and ethereal.

"Wow…" I whisper. "You look beautiful."

She smiles shyly at me. "Shall we?"

"Hey, I should be saying that!" I tease.

"Well, you were too busy gawking at me, so I just had to," she teases back.

We arrive at the school as the sun is setting, and we're greeted by the Host Club. "Oh wow, you two look great together!" Tamaki compliments.

"This ball is definitely going to be a hit," Kyoya says.

"Hold on, how does this Autumn Ball work?" I ask.

"Well, there's dancing to start off with, and then after a while, there will be a voting for the Prince and Princess of Autumn, based on the popularity of each couple," Tamaki explains. "The couple with the most votes will be crowned as the Prince and Princess of Autumn."

"Ehhhh?!" We turn and see my three customers Yumi, Ritsuko, and Mitsuki standing in the doorway. "Tetsuya-kun, you and Renge are together?!" they ask in surprise.

I smile shyly. "Yeah…"

"Awww, that's so cute!" Yumi squeals.

"Renge-chan, how did you and Tetsuya ever get together?" Mitsuki asks.

Renge smiles brightly as she suddenly starts to tell a very dramatized version of how I had asked her out. The way she said the story is very dramatic, clearly made to make me look like a brave knight in shining armour, asking for permission from the stern yet kind king to court the beautiful and compassionate princess. I can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. She looks so happy and excited to be here.

"Wow, that's so romantic!" Ritsuko gushes. "I hope I meet a guy who treats me like that one day…"

"Okay, Renge," I say, holding my hand out to her. "May I have this dance?"

She takes my hand, smiling. "Of course."

The orchestra starts to play _Waltz of the Flowers _by Tchaikovsky, and all the couples start to do the waltz. I place one hand on her hip, and she holds my shoulder as we connect our hands, moving in time with the other couples. As we dance, I feel glad that I took those ballroom dancing lessons from Tamaki. I smile softly at Renge, who smiles back at me. "You look beautiful," I whisper to her.

"You tell me that all the time," she giggles slightly.

"No, you truly look beautiful right now," I say. "You wonder why I chose you, Renge. I chose you, because you truly understand me. Meeting you was the best thing that could ever happen to me, and I'm happy to have met you." I give her a kiss on the lips. "I love you, Renge."

After a while, it's time to vote for the Prince and Princess of Autumn. The ballots are handed out and we take a look through the list of couples on the ballots.

_Suzushima Toru & Kasugazaki Kanako_

_Haninozuka Mitsukuni & Kanazuki Reiko_

_Soga Kazukiyo & Kurakano Momoka_

_Kuze Takeshi & Matsuyama Kanan_

Right then, in elegant kanji and in cursive romaji, I see our names.

_Ashida Tetsuya & Houshakuji Renge_

"Tetsuya, we're on here!" Renge tells me. I nod.

"Wanna vote for ourselves, just for fun?" I ask, smirking slightly.

"I thought we had to vote for a different couple!" she says in surprise.

"Well, why not?" I ask. "It's our first ball, so let's vote for ourselves. You've always wanted to be a princess, right?"

She giggles. "Okay."

We put checks next to our names, and the ballots are collected. After a while, Tamaki comes up on the stage, in all his white tuxedo glory. "Good evening, my friends," he greets, giving a charming smile. "I see that the voting has finished. Now, let's see who shall be crowned as the King and Queen of Autumn."

I see Kyoya come onto the stage, holding the ballot box. Tamaki looks inside and stares in surprise, before smiling brightly. "And your prince and princess are… Ashida Tetsuya and Houshakuji Renge!"

We stare at each other in surprise. _We won?! _The students start applauding loudly as we walk up on stage, being congratulated by Tamaki. "Good job, guys," he praises. "Now, you two will have to crown each other."

On two pedestals are a gold crown and a gold tiara, both studded with topaz jewels. I smile as I place the tiara in Renge's hair, and I bend down slightly so Renge can place the crown on my head. The lights bounce off the jewels, creating small sparkles on the stage as we turn to face the students, smiling. Just to celebrate, I pick Renge up, spin her around, and kiss her in front of everyone, earning a lot of cheers and squeals. "I love you," I whisper to her as I pull away.

Suddenly, I hear a loud splashing noise, as well as a strange sticky feeling on my tuxedo. I turn, and to my shock and horror, I see a large, thick stream of brown liquid falling from the ceiling and splashing all over Renge, with some of it getting on my tuxedo. However, Renge looks somewhat like Carrie White during the prom scene. She looks down at herself in shock.

I turn to the students, who have stopped their applause and cheers. A wave of silence has swept through the ballroom as everyone stares in shock at us. I look at Renge, and the smell of the liquid hits me. _Oh gosh… this is molasses! _Renge's dress is ruined by the molasses, her skin and hair stained with it. She looks at me, her eyes slowly filling with tears. I swear, I lose all composure right then.

"What the hell?!" I snarl, glaring at the students. I see the Host Club, staring in utter horror. "Who the hell did this?!"

A sob cuts me off, and I turn just in time to see Renge bolt from the stage, pushing through the crowd. "Renge!" I call, starting to run after her. "Wait up! Renge! Renge!"

After a while of running, I find her outside in the gardens, sobbing hard. As I approach her, I feel a drop of rain hit me. More follow, and soon, a heavy rainstorm soaks me through. I don't care, however. I walk up to Renge and wrap my arms around her, pulling her face into my chest as she cries. "It's ruined…" she sobs. "It's all ruined…"

I feel tears in my own eyes and I let them fall. Just a while ago, Renge was smiling so happily, having so much fun. Now, she's reduced to this. "I'm here for you, Renge…" I whisper hoarsely. All the sadness disappears and is replaced with a burning anger. "I'll find out who did this, and I'll make them pay dearly!"


End file.
